Turan Öztürk Khanate
The Öztürk Khanate occupies the dry, remote mountainous Turan Highlands in the east of Esphelia. The lowlands in the Kingdoms east feauture large sand dunes and roxky badlands, with brutally hot summers and mild winters. The high Oqsaray Mountains which take up more than 80% of the kingdom have cold, long winters and mild, temperate summers. The long valleys are quite fertile and, during spring and summer, feauture wide rivers of cold, clear water which hydrate large crops of grain and fruit. Mountain goats and sheep roam the craggy peaks year round and are a staple of the local cuisine. The mountain of Yanar Dag rises as high as 8000 meters and has yet to be conquered by even the most intrepid adventurer. Other mountains include Irem Dag (7500m), Ergen Dag (6800m), and Gülhan Dag (6000m). The city of Aşkşanbe sits in a large valley at the base of Damvand Dag (5000m), a solitary peak that separates the highlands from the lowlands in the east. The largest and oldest settlement in the Kingdom, Aşkşanbe is also the seat of government, home to the Öztürk Dynasty's palacial compound. The winter capital is in the oasis city of Yazhane, in the eastern desert. Yazhane also straddles the vast Olgün canyon, created during a battle between two powerful wizards ten thousand years ago according to popular myth. The people of the Kingdom are largely ethnically homogenous, claiming to be descendants of an nomadic tribe, the Turankhan, which swept across the world in a brief century of conquest and war several thousand years ago. The Öztürk Dynasty claims to be the current iteration of the Turankhan line of rulers, a dubious claim historically but one which grants them popular legitimacy nonetheless. The generally accepted term for the ethno-linguistic group that makes up most of the Khanate is "Turan/Turanic." A handful of smaller ethnic groups inhabit the kingdom, mostly speaking different variants of the Turanic language. Gülşembe University in Aşkşembe recognizes 8 distinct variants of Turanic other than High Turanic, the recognized language of governance, religion, and commerce. The people of Turan are typically somewhat short compared to Aramorians and with a generally darker complexion, with dark hair and features and olive skin. In more remote areas of the mountains, several isolated Turanic subgroups have lighter features and light eyes but these groups are small and rarely seen in Aşkşanbe or other large cities. Turanic men typically are clean shaven while the women grow their hair lonf but cover it with elaborately wrapped headscarves. Gender relations are fairly equal, with women generally having similar rights and privileges as men regarding inheritance, ownership, and freedom of choice. The Turanic Khanates of old bent the knee to the Aramorians several centuries ago, having fallen into a cycle of intra-dynastic civil wars, in one case having 45 Khans claiming power in the space of a year. The Aramorians stabilized the Khanate under the öztürk dynasty and, despite their dubious claims to Turankhan legitimacy, have held power and popular support due to the stability and subsequent economic prosperity they brought. The vast majority of the people ruled by the öztürk dynasty follow a monotheistic religion they call "Töhid" which emphasizes the oneness of all creation under God, who is Himself creation. All of creation is God and God is all of creation. The tenets of this religion call for an immense degree of hospitality and respect between peoples, as all people are considered equal in the oneness. There are few rich Töhidis, as those who achieve economic success have a tendency to give their excess profits to charity. The biggest holiday is in early autumn, when the snow first falls, and people celebrate in the streets and provide warm clothing to beggars and invite the homeless inside for a heavy goat stew. The Öztürk family is itself Töhidi and their palace, if it can be called that, is quite simple, even austere. For the öztürks, their wealth comes not in the form of gold but in the fierce devotion of their subjects, especially those in the army. The Khanate has largely had peaceful relations with its neighbors since the Turankhan period, and the öztürks have done nothing to upset this balance. GOVERNMENT Khan/Queen: Çülpan Öztürk-Khan, a young woman of 23, recently inheriting the throne from her father, Almazbek Öztürk-Khan, who ruled for 65 years and was widely regarded as strong, fair, and benevolent. Çülpan has a high bar to live up to, but has been educated at Gülşembe University in Aşkşembe and was widely regarded by her tutors as cunning and highly intelligent. She remains unwed. Heir: Prince Nürlan Öztürk, Çülpan's younger brother, age 6. A precocious boy, but a boy nonetheless, he enjoys playing soldier with the Royal Guard. General of the Öztürk Host: Yüsüp Ülünügür-Basha, age 53. A grizzled veteran and fiercely loyal to the Khan, Yüsüp was raised in a nomadic mountain tribe that historically provides the fiercest warriors to the Öztürk's armies due to their tradition of training both the male and female tribespeople from the earliest age in warrior skills. Grand Vizier: Saltanat Karakalpak-Basha, age 43. A cunning statesman and no-nonsense head of government. Saltanat Karakalpak-Basha was instrumental in Çülpan securing power over her (now-deceased) brother, Aydin who sadly killed himself with three dozen knife wounds to the back. Saltanat is intensely loyal to the Khan and will stop at nothing to enact her vision on the Khanate Other Notable Lords and Ladies: Nazrin Yurtsever-Khanim: daughter of General Yüsüp Ülünügür-Basha, age 25. As skilled in the court as she is shooting an bow from horseback, Nazrin is also notably single... lords, line up please. Caner Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow-Basha: A famous horseman of the realm and notable heartthrob among local ladies, his victorious return from the tournament at Edreau is awaited with baited breath by those women ambitious and daring enough to ask for his hand. Sooronbay Jeenbekov-Basha, age 50 and head of Aşkşanbe University and powerful wielder of God's Truth, as magic is called in Tohidic tradition. Known across the Khanate for his wisdom and intelligence, he tutored Çülpan-Khan from a young age and the two retain a close personal and professional relationship. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: mayor of Aşkşanbe and known for his commitment to both justice for his citizens and the further development of the city, he is generally well regarded by commoners while being utterly subservient to the Khanate. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: mayor of Yazhane and central religious leader of the Tohidi faith, he is known for disdaining politics and pressuring Khans past and present for launching a war of religious evangelism to the other Turanic tribes to the north and east of the Khanate. He is well-liked by Tohidis and serves as perhaps the only power that can disagree with the Khan and live. His image is often painted on the back of carts or printed onto flags hung from people's residences. COUNTESS OF EDREAU (via marriage):Gulnara Tunyazeva-Khanim, daughter of the Khan's uncle Nur Tunyaz-Basha, age 28. She grew up as an older sister to Çülpan-Khan, and the two remain close friends. Gulnara married the Count of Edreau 8 years ago and has since proven her mettle in the court of that County. GOVERNMENT ETHICS Militaristic - The Khanate inherits a long and storied military tradition from its Turankhan heritage. While the Khanate has never been particularly aggressive, men and women of the Turanic tradition are typically raised in a tradition that values military service and prowess. Honorable - Turanic tradition places a strong emphasis on respect, loyalty, and hospitality. The concept of slavery is anathema to an average Turanic person, and as a result governance by both the Öztürk Khanate and previous Turanic rulers (or at least those that lasted) has typically been relatively benevolent and egalitarian.